Blind Date

Chapter Ten

Saga was starting to understand why the Aesir tended to look down on mortals, because everything here (with the exception of some of the people) was far nicer than on Earth.

Sitting on the sofa was like sitting on air. The bed was so comfortable she didn't want to leave it to get ready. The clothes she was draped in were like silk, only lighter and softer. Her shoes had a slight heel, which she wasn't used to any more, but the soles felt as thin as a few sheets of paper, and yet her every step was cushioned far beyond anything she'd worn on Earth.

She didn't even know what the maid did to her hair, but even that felt like spun silk and she'd be willing to guess that it shone enough to make a L'Oreal advert jealous.

Her hairstyle was very carefully layered so it retained some length, but was low maintenance enough that she could let it air dry after a shower and it still looked decent. From what she could tell, the servant had somehow swept it up off her neck, and she could also feel metallic clips, but she could only wonder what they looked like.

Finally the servant declared she finished and Saga thanked her. The woman had a brusk manner about her, which is why Saga hadn't liked to ask what she was doing to her hair but waited until she left to feel for herself.

"You look beautiful," Loki said, sensing her unease with the unusual clothes and hairstyle.

"Thank you," she smiled at him. "You look lovely too."

"Thank you, I-" he shook his head. "Very funny," his tone was droll.

"Sorry," she giggled, approaching him. The room was so large that she knew she wasn't at risk of running into anything.

"I forgive you," he said, pulling her against him, "but only because your laugh is so adorable."

He leaned down and kissed her softly but before things could become too heated, someone knocked on the door.

"Loki? Are you decent?" Thor's voice boomed even through the solid wooden doors.

Loki reluctantly pulled away from Saga, although he kept a hand around her waist and called back, "Absolutely not, but you may enter anyway."

"Good, you are both ready," he stated as he entered. "And Lady Saga, that gown is most fetching on you."

"Thank you."

"Come, a night of dancing, drinking, laughing and general merriment awaits us."

"Sounds fun," Saga said with false bravado.

"Do not fear, we shall take care of you," Thor assured her, while Loki just tightened his hold on her for a moment, saying the same thing but with fewer words.

"Buddy?" she called, and slowly the robotic dog raised its head, then got it its feet, yawned and then he approached them, as if he'd been sleeping. In truth Saga had set it to standby to preserve the battery life, so it took Buddy a few moments to "wake up" properly and Tony had made him mimic a real dog waking up.

He still wore his harness and as he brushed against Saga's leg, she reached down and picked it up.

"Come on then, let's go party like it's 1999."

"Pardon?" Thor frowned. "By your calendar it is 2016 and by our calendar it is the year 509,332."

"It's a song," Saga explained as they walked. "I'll play it for you when we get home."

"I would like that very much, thank you."

As they walked, behind them she could hear the footsteps of four guards who had probably been stationed outside Loki's room but were now his mobile guard.